[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
mid-body, moving without motion of its own. The figure twisted, slanted away
and vanished into the murk.
"An amphibious race, the Wankh, with electric jets for their underwater
sport."
Reith once more raised the scanscope. The Wankh towers, like the walls, were
black glass. Round windows were discs blacker than black; balconies of frail
twisted crystal became walkways to far structures. Reith spied movement: a
pair of Wankh? Looking more closely he saw the creatures to be men-Wankhmen,
beyond all doubt, with flour-white skins and black pelts close to somewhat
flat scalps.
Their faces seemed smooth, with still, saturnine features; they wore what
Page 26
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
appeared to be one-piece black garments, with wide black leather belts, on
which hung small implements, tools, instruments. As they moved into the
building, they looked out at the Vargaz and for an instant Reith saw full into
their faces. He jerked the scanscope from his eyes.
Anacho eyed him askance. "What is the trouble?"
"I saw two Wankhmen ... Even you, weird mutated freak that you are, seem
ordinary by comparison."
Anacho gave a sardonic chuckle. "They are in fact not dissimilar to the
typical sub-man."
file:///G|/rah/Jack%20vance%20-%20Tschai%202%20-%20Servants%20of%20the%20Wankh
.txt (23 of 74) [2/14/2004 12:23:49 AM]
file:///G|/rah/Jack%20vance%20-%20Tschai%202%20-%20Servants%20of%20the%20Wankh
.txt
Reith made no argument; in the first place he could not define the exact
quality he had seen behind the still white faces. He looked again, but the
Wankhmen had disappeared. Dordolio had come out on deck and now stared in
fascination at the scanscope. "What instrument is that?"
"An electronic optical device," said Reith without emphasis.
"I've never seen its like." He looked at Anacho. "Is it a Dirdir machine?"
Anacho made a quizzical dissent. "I think not."
Dordolio gave Reith a puzzled glance. "Is it Chasch or Wankh?" He veered at
the engraved escutcheon. "What writing is this?"
Anacho shrugged. "Nothing I can read."
Dordolio asked Reith: "Can you read it?"
"Yes, I believe so." Impelled by a sudden mischievous urge, Reith read:
"Federal Space Agency
Tool and Instrument Division
Mark XI Photomultiplying Binocular Telescope
1x-1000x
Nonprojective, inoperable in total darkness. BAF-1303-K-29023 Use Type D5
energy slug only. In poor light, engage color compensator switch. Do not look
at sun or high-intensity illumination; if automatic light-gate fails, damage
to the eyes may result."
Dordolio stared. "What language is that?"
"One of the many human dialects," said Reith.
"But from what region? Men everywhere on Tschai, to my understanding, speak
the same language."
"Rather than embarrass you both," said Reith. "I prefer to say nothing.
Continue to think of me as an amnesiac."
"Do you take us for fools?" growled Dordolio. "Are we children to have our
questions answered with flippant evasions?"
"Sometimes," said Anacho, speaking into the air, "it is the part of wisdom to
maintain a myth. Too much knowledge can become a burden."
Dordolio gnawed at his mustache. From the corner of his eye he glanced at the
scanscope, then swung abruptly away.
Ahead three more islands had appeared, rising sharply from the sea, each with
its wall and core of eccentric black buildings. A shadow lay on the horizon
beyond: the mainland of Kachan.
During the afternoon the shadow took on density and detail, to become a hulk
of mountains rising from the sea. The Vargaz coasted north, almost in the
shadow of the mountains, with black dip-winged kites swooping around the
masts, emitting mournful hoots and clashing their mandibles. Late in the
afternoon the mountains fell away to reveal a landlocked bay. A nondescript
town occupied the south shore; from a promontory to the north rose a Wankh
fortress, like a growth of undisciplined black crystals. A spaceport occupied
the flat land to the east, where a number of spaceships of various styles and
sizes were visible.
Through the scanscope, Reith studied the landscape and the mountainside
Page 27
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
sloping down to the spacefield from the east. Interesting, mused Reith,
interesting indeed.
The captain, coming past, identified the port as Ao Hidis, one of the
important Wankh centers. "I had no intent of faring south so far, but since
we're here, I'll try to sell my leathers and the Grenie woods; then I'll take
on
Wankh chemicals for Cath. A word of warning for those of you who intend to
roister ashore. There are two towns here: Ao Hidis proper, which is Man-town,
and an unpronounceable sound which is Wankh-town. In Man-town are several
kinds of people, including Lokhars, but mainly Blacks and Purples. They do not
mingle;
they recognize their own kind only. In the streets you may walk without fear,
you may buy at any shop or booth with an open front. Do not enter any closed
shop or tavern, either Black or Purple; you'll likely not come out.
There are no public brothels. If you buy from a Black booth, do not stop at a
Purple booth with your goods; you will be resented and perhaps insulted, or,
in certain cases, attacked. The opposite holds true. As for Wankh-town, there
is nothing to do except stare at the Wankh, to which you are welcome, for they
do
file:///G|/rah/Jack%20vance%20-%20Tschai%202%20-%20Servants%20of%20the%20Wankh
.txt (24 of 74) [2/14/2004 12:23:49 AM]
file:///G|/rah/Jack%20vance%20-%20Tschai%202%20-%20Servants%20of%20the%20Wankh
.txt not seem to object. All considered, a dull port, with little amusement
ashore."
The Vargaz eased alongside a wharf flying a small purple pennon. "I
patronized Purple on my last visit," the captain told Reith who had come up to
the quarterdeck. "They gave good service at a fair price; I see no reason to
change."
The Vargaz was moored by Purple longshoremen: roundfaced, roundheaded men with
a plum-colored cast to their complexion. From the neighboring Black dock
Blacks looked on with aloof hostility. These were physiognomically similar to
the Purples, but with gray skins oddly mottled with black.
"No one knows the cause," the Captain said, in regard to the color disparity.
"The same mother may produce one Purple child and one Black. Some blame diet; [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl szamanka888.keep.pl
mid-body, moving without motion of its own. The figure twisted, slanted away
and vanished into the murk.
"An amphibious race, the Wankh, with electric jets for their underwater
sport."
Reith once more raised the scanscope. The Wankh towers, like the walls, were
black glass. Round windows were discs blacker than black; balconies of frail
twisted crystal became walkways to far structures. Reith spied movement: a
pair of Wankh? Looking more closely he saw the creatures to be men-Wankhmen,
beyond all doubt, with flour-white skins and black pelts close to somewhat
flat scalps.
Their faces seemed smooth, with still, saturnine features; they wore what
Page 26
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
appeared to be one-piece black garments, with wide black leather belts, on
which hung small implements, tools, instruments. As they moved into the
building, they looked out at the Vargaz and for an instant Reith saw full into
their faces. He jerked the scanscope from his eyes.
Anacho eyed him askance. "What is the trouble?"
"I saw two Wankhmen ... Even you, weird mutated freak that you are, seem
ordinary by comparison."
Anacho gave a sardonic chuckle. "They are in fact not dissimilar to the
typical sub-man."
file:///G|/rah/Jack%20vance%20-%20Tschai%202%20-%20Servants%20of%20the%20Wankh
.txt (23 of 74) [2/14/2004 12:23:49 AM]
file:///G|/rah/Jack%20vance%20-%20Tschai%202%20-%20Servants%20of%20the%20Wankh
.txt
Reith made no argument; in the first place he could not define the exact
quality he had seen behind the still white faces. He looked again, but the
Wankhmen had disappeared. Dordolio had come out on deck and now stared in
fascination at the scanscope. "What instrument is that?"
"An electronic optical device," said Reith without emphasis.
"I've never seen its like." He looked at Anacho. "Is it a Dirdir machine?"
Anacho made a quizzical dissent. "I think not."
Dordolio gave Reith a puzzled glance. "Is it Chasch or Wankh?" He veered at
the engraved escutcheon. "What writing is this?"
Anacho shrugged. "Nothing I can read."
Dordolio asked Reith: "Can you read it?"
"Yes, I believe so." Impelled by a sudden mischievous urge, Reith read:
"Federal Space Agency
Tool and Instrument Division
Mark XI Photomultiplying Binocular Telescope
1x-1000x
Nonprojective, inoperable in total darkness. BAF-1303-K-29023 Use Type D5
energy slug only. In poor light, engage color compensator switch. Do not look
at sun or high-intensity illumination; if automatic light-gate fails, damage
to the eyes may result."
Dordolio stared. "What language is that?"
"One of the many human dialects," said Reith.
"But from what region? Men everywhere on Tschai, to my understanding, speak
the same language."
"Rather than embarrass you both," said Reith. "I prefer to say nothing.
Continue to think of me as an amnesiac."
"Do you take us for fools?" growled Dordolio. "Are we children to have our
questions answered with flippant evasions?"
"Sometimes," said Anacho, speaking into the air, "it is the part of wisdom to
maintain a myth. Too much knowledge can become a burden."
Dordolio gnawed at his mustache. From the corner of his eye he glanced at the
scanscope, then swung abruptly away.
Ahead three more islands had appeared, rising sharply from the sea, each with
its wall and core of eccentric black buildings. A shadow lay on the horizon
beyond: the mainland of Kachan.
During the afternoon the shadow took on density and detail, to become a hulk
of mountains rising from the sea. The Vargaz coasted north, almost in the
shadow of the mountains, with black dip-winged kites swooping around the
masts, emitting mournful hoots and clashing their mandibles. Late in the
afternoon the mountains fell away to reveal a landlocked bay. A nondescript
town occupied the south shore; from a promontory to the north rose a Wankh
fortress, like a growth of undisciplined black crystals. A spaceport occupied
the flat land to the east, where a number of spaceships of various styles and
sizes were visible.
Through the scanscope, Reith studied the landscape and the mountainside
Page 27
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
sloping down to the spacefield from the east. Interesting, mused Reith,
interesting indeed.
The captain, coming past, identified the port as Ao Hidis, one of the
important Wankh centers. "I had no intent of faring south so far, but since
we're here, I'll try to sell my leathers and the Grenie woods; then I'll take
on
Wankh chemicals for Cath. A word of warning for those of you who intend to
roister ashore. There are two towns here: Ao Hidis proper, which is Man-town,
and an unpronounceable sound which is Wankh-town. In Man-town are several
kinds of people, including Lokhars, but mainly Blacks and Purples. They do not
mingle;
they recognize their own kind only. In the streets you may walk without fear,
you may buy at any shop or booth with an open front. Do not enter any closed
shop or tavern, either Black or Purple; you'll likely not come out.
There are no public brothels. If you buy from a Black booth, do not stop at a
Purple booth with your goods; you will be resented and perhaps insulted, or,
in certain cases, attacked. The opposite holds true. As for Wankh-town, there
is nothing to do except stare at the Wankh, to which you are welcome, for they
do
file:///G|/rah/Jack%20vance%20-%20Tschai%202%20-%20Servants%20of%20the%20Wankh
.txt (24 of 74) [2/14/2004 12:23:49 AM]
file:///G|/rah/Jack%20vance%20-%20Tschai%202%20-%20Servants%20of%20the%20Wankh
.txt not seem to object. All considered, a dull port, with little amusement
ashore."
The Vargaz eased alongside a wharf flying a small purple pennon. "I
patronized Purple on my last visit," the captain told Reith who had come up to
the quarterdeck. "They gave good service at a fair price; I see no reason to
change."
The Vargaz was moored by Purple longshoremen: roundfaced, roundheaded men with
a plum-colored cast to their complexion. From the neighboring Black dock
Blacks looked on with aloof hostility. These were physiognomically similar to
the Purples, but with gray skins oddly mottled with black.
"No one knows the cause," the Captain said, in regard to the color disparity.
"The same mother may produce one Purple child and one Black. Some blame diet; [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]